Officials confirm suicide in death of prison riot suspect

Randall Chase, Associated Press

Updated
4:37 pm EST, Monday, December 10, 2018

This photo provided by the Delaware Department of Justice shows inmate Kelly Gibbs. The Department of Correction confirmed in an email Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, that 30-year-old Kelly Gibbs killed himself on Nov. 22, just days after pleading guilty to rioting, kidnapping and conspiracy in the February 2017 riot. Officials refused to disclose how Gibbs died. ( Delaware Department of Justice via AP) less

This photo provided by the Delaware Department of Justice shows inmate Kelly Gibbs. The Department of Correction confirmed in an email Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, that 30-year-old Kelly Gibbs killed himself on Nov. ... more

Photo: AP

Photo: AP

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This photo provided by the Delaware Department of Justice shows inmate Kelly Gibbs. The Department of Correction confirmed in an email Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, that 30-year-old Kelly Gibbs killed himself on Nov. 22, just days after pleading guilty to rioting, kidnapping and conspiracy in the February 2017 riot. Officials refused to disclose how Gibbs died. ( Delaware Department of Justice via AP) less

This photo provided by the Delaware Department of Justice shows inmate Kelly Gibbs. The Department of Correction confirmed in an email Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, that 30-year-old Kelly Gibbs killed himself on Nov. ... more

Photo: AP

Officials confirm suicide in death of prison riot suspect

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DOVER, Del. (AP) — Delaware officials have confirmed that the death last month of an inmate who was charged in a fatal prison riot last year was a suicide.

Delaware's public safety department confirmed in an email Friday that 30-year-old Kelly Gibbs killed himself on Nov. 22, just days after pleading guilty to rioting, kidnapping and conspiracy in the February 2017 riot. Officials refused to disclose how Gibbs died.

Gibbs was among 16 inmates who were charged with murder, assault and other crimes after the riot, during which prison guard Steven Floyd was killed and three other staffers taken hostage. Two others were charged as well, but not with murder.

Gibbs's death came two days after a jury returned verdicts in the first trial in the case, acquitting one of the three defendants.

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This story has been corrected to show that Delaware's public safety department, not the Department of Correction, confirmed the inmate's suicide in an email.